Until Dawn AU Redemption
by GLaDOSWolf
Summary: The friends finally escaped the mountain, and were placed in a hotel to be assessed. Josh has been lost in the mines, and Sam killed by a wendigo, or so they believe. When they discover Sam isn't actually dead and remains trapped on the mountain, the friends travel back to rescue their friend whilst being faced with an all too familiar threat. A twist on the Josh storyline
1. Prologue

_Mike wrapped his hand around the glass of the light bulb and clenched his fist in an attempt to break the glass, which to his relief, worked, exposing the wires to the air.  
Chris took the opportunity and hurried out of the lodge as the wendigo turned to look towards Mike, screeching out in his direction. He froze in fear, Sam startling him as she shouted to get the wendigo's attention. "HEY!"  
Emily noted how the wendigo was distracted and followed Chris' lead out of the lodge.  
Mike could only stare as the wendigo approached Sam who was breathing heavily clearly afraid. He prayed she wouldn't move a muscle. Sam looked into the wendigo's cold eyes, she could see no emotion within them, and noticed the lack of a tattoo on its arm; it wasn't Hannah. One fatal lack of balance sealed her fate as she realised her mistake.  
Ashley turned and ran before she could witness what was about to happen.  
Lurching towards Sam, the wendigo screeched triggering Sam to scream and Mike to remove his gaze, instead looking towards the switch and the door. His ears picked up Sam's groan and a thud; a body hit the floor.  
He took his chance; he ran.  
As he reached the door, he glanced back towards the wendigos, covering his face, he flicked the switch causing fire to spread through the house and throw him backwards onto the snow.  
They were safe...  
But Sam was dead..._

A/N - This is just a short prologue to set the scene ^_^


	2. Chapter One - Reunion

Sobs were filling the room, people were exchanging hugs and checking over one another. All the friends had just had their hospital assessment and police interviews. Every one of them were stable in their health despite being cut and bruised and in pain, however some of them were mentally affected and they were going to need psychiatric help. Jessica was one of the main few who would need the most help as she sat quiet in the corner of the large hotel lounge where the friends had been taken whilst their rooms were arranged.  
The doctors at the hospital, for both physical, and mental health, had decided it would be best for the friends if they stayed together in a hotel for both sanity and order as it would be easier to reach certain people if one became endangered. Mike and Jessica were to share a room together, as well as Chris and Ashley together. However Emily and Matt had decided they wished to have their own separate rooms.

Jessica was huddled sobbing in both relief and pain as Mike clutched onto her tightly relieved she was alive. He had been one hundred percent certain that she had been killed by the Wendigo, but he was overjoyed to discover he had been wrong.  
 _Mike left the interview room furious, the police had tried to twist his words and he knew they had done it to everyone else also. He was far from being the right mood to talk to anyone. He'd just lost his girlfriend; Jessica as well as his friend Sam who died whilst saving him. Shutting the door forcefully behind him, he looked up to see all the friends sat in the waiting room. Emily had her arms folded and was muttering to herself, she sounded pissed. Chris and Ashley were wrapped around each other, refusing to let go as if their lives depended on it. Mike knew they'd depend on each other a lot after the events on the mountain. Matt was hunched slightly and was comforting a blonde girl who was covered in cuts and bruises, most of the blood had been wiped off her. Mike was surprised to see Matt as he assumed he was dead from Emily's description of the tower._ Blonde hair… _That had to be either Sam or…  
"Mike?" A familiar soft voice came from the blonde girl who looked up, her battered face which was stained with tears and sadness formed a weak smile, a brief moment of happiness within her. _Jessica.  
 _Mike's heart began beating fast as he hurried over to Jess and wrapped his arms around her beginning to sob himself as Matt told him what happened with him and Jessica in the mines.  
_ Jessica's mind was full of all that had happened that night, she couldn't come to terms with any of it, she wanted to sleep and block it all out, but feared that even then the night wouldn't let her escape it.  
Mike tried his best to reassure her, whispering softly in her ear, focusing completely on how Jessica was instead of even processing things himself.  
"Don't worry, I'm here. No Wendigo or anybody is going to hurt you again Jess." His words were full of determination, and Jess managed a weak smile through her sobs, and in that time she chose to believe him.

Chris and Ashley barely spoke to one another as they lacked energy to, but instead were intertwined through arms and legs, the warmth of each other insulating both. They listened to each other's breathing and heartbeat becoming one whole person. Every now and then they'd call out the other's name to ensure they weren't dreaming, and that they were truly safe, and together.  
 _Chris' head was aching, the memory of the flamethrower guy's death stained on his brain. He was completely fixed on the one memory as he left his interview room. None of the other friends were out of the room yet, so he sat alone drowning in his own thoughts. Pushed abruptly out of his thoughts when he heard someone call his name, he looked up to see Ashley standing in front of him, her arms folded and shuffling her legs awkwardly. She was biting her lip and she still looked dazed and afraid.  
"Oh, Ash…" For the first time, he didn't pause whilst going to embrace her, instead he pulled her into his arms and she wrapped her own arms around him in return, burying her face into his shoulder.  
"We made it Ash, we're alive." Chris murmured words of support, and they took their place on the chairs, wrapped within each other's arms.  
_Ashley glanced up at Chris. "Thank you."  
Chris didn't even have to ask what she was thanking him for, instead he returned her gaze. "It's what you do when you love someone."  
Through all the pain and the terror they were still suffering through in that moment, they still managed a blush and a smile at one another.

On the other side of the room Emily sat alone, thinking to herself. She knew deep down that Matt had tried his best to save her, but the emotions she felt were pushed down by the emotions that lay plain on her face. She was not happy. Matt had placed himself near Jessica and Mike as he had been the first one to comfort to Jess before Mike had entered. He wanted to ensure she was okay after what they had both encountered together. After he had explained to Mike what had occurred, him and Mike were on alright terms. They'd never be good friends as such, but at least the tension was over… With Mike at least.  
 _"Em, can we talk… Please?" Matt tried to get through to Emily as they both went to sit down. Emily purposely sat herself down away from Matt, an annoyed expression painted onto her face.  
"I don't want to talk Matt." She scowled, her face sour.  
Matt opened his mouth to talk again when Jessica entered the room limping. Dropping the conversation, he hurried over to Jess' aid and sat her down, wrapping his arms around her and making sure she was okay.  
_Matt's eyes wandered over to Emily, and he smiled at her in hope of a response. She'd been a bitch to him, but he couldn't stop his feelings towards her. Emily's lips formed a thin smile, but it was only short, and Matt couldn't tell the emotion behind it.

Hours passed, through that time the friends had begun to talk to one another more, and reassemble into one large group. No one had dared bring up the subject of either Josh or Sam, wanting to try and keep the mood of the group stable and happy. Despite everyone desperately wanting to stay awake and together, they eventually admitted to themselves that they had to go to sleep. Separating from one another, they split into their groups and cowered into their rooms.

Emily groaned as she pulled on the spare night clothes the hotel had given her, they were a disgusting beige colour and were itchy and uncomfortable. She straightened her hair and pulled back the duvet of the bed, climbing into it. As she settled down into bed, she plugged in her phone to the charger which again, the hotel had supplied to her. Feeling relieved and at least a little more comfortable, she shut her eyes. As the darkness swallowed her up she realised how alone she felt.

Matt flicked through the television, the signal was poor and so therefore the quality was terrible, his room was quiet apart from the faint sounds of voices on the TV. He felt strange being without Emily, yet also felt relaxed to have some time to himself, the silence both comforting and disturbing. Sat at the end of his bed, he sighed.

"If you wake up from any kind of nightmare or anything like that, you wake me, okay?"  
Jessica nodded as she pulled the duvet around her and pressed her body against Mike's. She was almost certain that she was going to suffer from nightmares, and was terrified to enter sleep, but Mike was a comfort to her. Mike placed a soft kiss on her shoulder and Jess managed a weak giggle.

Chris and Ashley were nervous to be sleeping in the same bed as they weren't officially a couple, but they preferred it as to sleeping alone. Ash pulled off her beanie and threw it aside along with her jacket deciding to sleep in her t-shirt and tights. She unzipped her shorts, and pulled herself into bed. Chris had tried his best to look away blushing, but it was difficult for him to look anywhere, but towards Ashley. Eventually he distracted himself by taking off his glasses and jumper.  
"I-. " He considered how he was going to sleep.  
"Just get yourself comfortable." Ash's head was peeking out over the blankets. "As long as you're not naked." She laughed, a little more cheerful than before.  
Chris laughed as he pulled off his shirt and trousers, remaining in his underwear, and taking his place beside Ashley. They were both blushing, but neither mentioned it.  
"Goodnight Chris."  
Without a second thought, he planted a kiss onto Ash's forehead.  
"Goodnight."

Being suffocated by sleep and night terrors, the friends fell victim to sleep, not knowing what was yet to come in the days ahead and how their lives and friends were going to be shaken up dramatically in the upcoming days.

-

A/N – Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! This chapter was mainly for the purpose of explaining how the friends are now they've gotten off the mountain. A few chapters on and things will really start picking up, I promise! For now, these first couple of chapters will have many couple moments within them. (Demonstrated by this one! If you enjoyed this please leave a comment !)


	3. Chapter Two - Blame

Nightmares filled everyone's head during the night, causing them to toss and turn, waking up several times from their slumber. Every night terror was unique for the person, but in most, a common theme occurred. _Sam._ During the previous day, the subject of Sam or Josh had been avoided by all, determined to keep their minds away from the horror of what happened that day. Happiness managed to remain evident, but as each friend awoke one by one, the following day, they knew that it couldn't be avoided anymore.

Emily had been disturbed from her sleep at 4AM, but had chosen to remain awake instead of trying to sleep again. Breakfast was at 8, and she wanted to be the first one down to avoid any awkward situations. It was now 7, and she was ready to leave her room. She had dreamt that the Wendigo were after her again, chasing her down through the mines. By leaving the room, she managed to block out the dreams for a little while.  
"Emily!" As she turned to close her door, Matt's voice materialised into the air. Emily moved herself to look towards Matt, raising her eyebrow and folding her arms.  
"What are you doing up so early?" She frowned, her head tilting slightly.  
Matt laughed. "I could say the same to you…" He paused, expecting a response, but continued when Emily refused to play along. "I woke up early, I thought I'd go down to breakfast before anyone else." He explained. "And I'm glad I did. I think we should talk."  
"We don't have to." She released her arms to drop beside her and shook her head, in doing so, she let down her walls that had allowed her to block everybody out. "I know I wasn't really your favourite person there for a second, but you need to know that I am sorry for what I said to you- said about you… You did try your best." She forced a weak smile… Inside she was still angry, but for once in her life, she realised that she had to stop being arrogant for that one moment.  
"So, we good?" Matt quizzed, ready to continue on to downstairs ready for breakfast.  
Emily nodded. "We're very good."  
Still feeling awkward with each other, it was clear their relationship would not be rekindled for a while, or even at all, but they made their way down to breakfast side by side so they wouldn't be alone.

 _Mike carried his lantern through the mines, the walls were closing in on him making him feel claustrophobic as he searched for Sam. He had heard her calling his name, she sounded weak and frail. Sam's voice came from all around, from every wall, he felt lost within the mines, but it was his responsibility to find Sam.  
As he continued on, he noted a beam of light entering an upcoming area, he rushed forward to see Sam lying on the ground.  
"Sam!" He fell to the ground beside her and shook her gently, turning her onto her back. Her face was pale, but her eyes were open, and a milky white, representing those of a Wendigo.  
Mike jumped onto his feet, his eyes wide as he backed away, the seemingly dead Sam crawling up onto her feet also as she whispered something to him. It took him a few seconds to realise what she was saying.  
"You killed me…"  
_Mike sat up abruptly in bed panting and sweating, he barely had time to process his dream when he heard sobbing at the end of the bed. _Jess._ He rubbed his forehead trying to get his dream out of his head, yet he knew he wouldn't be able to. _It was his fault Sam died._ He pulled himself up and out of the bed, crawling along to Jessica who had her head in her hands.  
"Jess?"  
Jessica looked up from her hands. "Oh, you're awake…" Her voice was quiet and weak. "I heard you calling out Sam's name in your sleep, were you having a nightmare?"  
He nodded. "Sam is haunting me now. It's my fault she died." He bowed his head, admitting how he felt before glancing back up again. "Did you have a nightmare?"  
Jess' eyes widened and she managed a small nod. "The Wendigo was after me again."  
Using what strength he had left, he wrapped his arms around Jess, surprised at what she said next.  
"Can we go get breakfast?" She looked up at Mike hopefully. "I'm starving."  
Mike nodded, a little confused. "Y-yeah, sure…" He paused before shaking his head. "Sorry, I just didn't expect you to be so eager.  
She shrugged. "Distractions are good… I just need to forget that mountain, but I can't just stay in bed healing."

"Ash! Ash!" Chris shook his friend who was whimpering in her sleep, clutching her pillow to her face. Chris placed his hand on her shoulder, and turned her around, also managing to wake her up in the process. She screamed in fear, her eyes staring up at Chris, which startled him as he leant backwards, breathing heavily. Ash pulled her arms tight to her chest, panting.  
"Shh, Ash, it's okay! It's me!" He whispered softly, and Ash let her arms drop to the sides.  
"You scared me…" She closed her eyes in relief. "I was having a nightmare about the Wendigos."  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just wanted to pull you out of there." He blushed embarrassed.  
Ashley grinned. "It's okay… It's okay, thank you." She sat up and straightened her hair. "What time is it?"  
Chris turned to look at the small alarm clock placed on the bedside table. "Half 7."  
"Oh shoot, breakfast is in half an hour!" Ashley groaned. "We better get ready Chris."  
"Or, we can just… lie in bed…" Chris fell back onto the bed embracing the warmth. "Together." He added.  
Ashley chuckled and grabbed a pillow, hitting him playfully on the face. "Wakey, wakey Chris!" She threw her legs over the side of the bed, and stood up. "We have to go down to meet the others. Besides, the police were searching the grounds yesterday whilst we were in the interviews, and last night. They promised they'd have a report for us today at breakfast. Maybe we'll get some new news on-" She bowed her head and gulped. "Sam…"  
Chris noticed a crack in her voice and quickly scrambled from the bed, approaching Ashley and pulling her in for a hug. "Hey…"  
Ashley turned and sobbed into his shoulder. "I just can't believe Sam is gone… I've only just processed it. I didn't want to believe it."  
"Me too." He murmured. "She didn't deserve to die in such a horrible way."

"Toast… Cereal…?" Matt had a piece of bread in one hand, and a bowl in the other, he moved his hands up and down grinning, weighing his options. "Choose wisely."  
Emily rolled her eyes and took the bowl, searching for a box of cereal and milk. Matt smirked, and took the piece of bread, putting it into the toaster.  
"Hey Matt." A small voice, startled him as Jessica appeared with Mike at the breakfast table. "Sleep well?"  
Matt shook his head. "I don't think anyone did."  
Jessica nodded in agreement, Mike squeezing her gently to reassure her.  
One by one, each of the friends prepared their breakfast and took their seats at the table, the group was quiet for a little while and it was clear they were all thinking of two people other than Chris and Ashley who were missing. After a few minutes Emily broke the silence.  
"Where the hell are Chris and Ash? What on earth are they doing?"  
Mike grinned. "I think we all know…"

With one fast swipe of the key card, Chris and Ashley's room became locked. Ashley stood leaning against the wall with her head pointed upwards looking at the ceiling. "We're going to be late to breakfast!" She pointed out, a hint of laughter sparking in her voice. "The group is going to kill us!"  
Chris shrugged, a grin emerging on his face. "When the cat's away, the mice will play!"  
Ashley raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. "Come on mouse." As Chris approached her, she playfully nudged him and took hold of his hand, pulling and tugging on his arm gently.  
Chris followed alongside her, he ruffled his own hair attempting to make it appear neater. "Everyone is going to think we were up to something." He mumbled.  
"What makes you think that?" Ashley smirked as they reached the elevator. She pressed the button to call for the lift before winking at Chris. "They can think what they want to think." 

"Sam would have liked us all being here together… Staying together as one group." Mike decided to be brave and bring up the subject of Sam. "I think, we should all stop ignoring the fact that Sam, and Josh are both missing. We need to address it now…" He bowed his head. "I wish they were both here with us, but they're not. And it's my fault. I could have tried to save Josh… And Sam only died trying to save me, I-"  
"It's not your fault man…" Matt interrupted him, removing any awkwardness that may have been lingering in the air.  
Emily and Jessica nodded in unison despite Emily still holding a grudge against him for the incident with the gun.  
"We all miss Sam." Emily continued. "But there was nothing you could have done. The Wendigo was right there, and if you had tried to save her, you'd both be dead."  
Footsteps prevented the group from continuing their conversation as Chris and Ashley approached followed by two police officers.  
"Sorry we're a little late!" Ashley called out. "We came across the officers who are going to inform us this morning." She gestured to the officers. "I think you guys really need to hear this… Apparently they've made an important breakthrough or something."  
Chris and Ashley pulled out their own chairs, and sat down. Their words causing all the friends to look between one another as the officers reached the table themselves, smiles on their faces to be polite.  
"Good morning." They greeted the friends who nodded in response. One officer spoke up. "As you know, we've been searching through the cabin on the mountain as well as around the mountain, and we think you deserve to know what we have recently discovered." He paused. "It's about your friend Samantha."


	4. Chapter Three - Desperation

"Sam is alive?" Ashley's eyes widened as her heartbeat quickened, her soul was filled with hope, and as she glanced around the room, she saw the same flash of hope in everyone else's eyes.  
Mike stared at the officer, his mind was full of questions, but the biggest one overall being: _Where is Sam?_ He had felt terrible and guilty after the horrific event, the fact that he never got to apologise tormenting him for what felt like eternity, but now he might be faced with a chance to say sorry to her face.  
The officer cleared his throat, and began speaking again by correcting Ashley. "We believe that it is highly likely she is alive." He nodded slowly, glancing over the faces to ensure he wasn't causing too much upset. After scanning over every person's emotions, he pulled out a chair from the table and took a seat, the other officer remaining stood up behind him. "I need to make sure that you understand this properly, okay?" He paused to give time for the friends to nod. "Your friend Samantha supposedly died in the fire, however when we entered the cabin, we discovered only three bodies. None of these were identifiable to your friend Samantha. After searching around the mountain, we further found a mobile phone, which we believe to be hers, seemingly dropped after the fire had occurred and not before. We are not sure as to who the three bodies are, and none of you are clearly in the right state of mind to aid us-"  
Mike's face instantly turned into a scowl, unable to stop himself from snapping at the officer. "I know exactly what you're going to say. That we've been through a lot. We know, but we also know what we saw, and we meant what we said in those interviews. Those bodies belong to Wendigos."  
The officer, not wanting to argue with Mike, merely nodded before changing his route of discussion.  
"Ultimately, it is highly likely that your friend did not die in the fire." He announced his conclusion before adding. "We cannot be one hundred percent certain however as even if she did survive the fire, she may have been killed through other factors on the mountain as none of our team have found any further survivors around the mountain."  
"No-" Emily groaned, shaking her head whilst placing her palm to her head. "Sam wouldn't be sitting on top of the mountain. If she survived the fire, she would have come straight to us. She didn't, which means she's either-" She paused, her voice becoming a little croaky. "Dead…. Or, she's in the mines."  
Taking in the information that was being placed before him, the officer pulled out his small pocket notepad and began jotting down notes as the friends spoke. One they had finished, he looked up, listening to Emily talk about the possibility of Sam being in the mines.  
"We will take that into consideration." He reassured her.  
"Are you going to look for her?" Ashley's stare switched rapidly between the two officers, her legs shaking nervously, desperate to find out what was going to happen.  
As the officer who had been sat down began to start standing up, the other officer who had remained stood up, finally taking his opportunity to speak. "We have sent out a search party early this morning of course." He nodded in response to her question. "They have been instructed to search every area of the mountain as possible."  
"Including the mines?" Chris pushed him a little further, eager for answers.  
Rubbing his forehead, the officer shook his head. "I don't know. If they find the mines, they may venture into them. That's for their team to decide. If they do not discover the mines, we will alert them."  
Mike's head was bursting with questions, but he didn't know what questions to ask, instead he sat in silence feeling a lot happier now that were was some hope.

"Is the signal still strong?" One member of the search team spoke into his radio to the officer at the office.  
The officer replied almost instantly, his voice a little crackly, but understandable. "Yes, relatively strong. Keep checking in with us, in those mines, the signal should be weak or none existent."  
"Will do." He hung up the radio, refocusing his attention to the team and their search. There was five of them, armed with flashlights and guns as a precaution. After an investigation had been carried out on the cabin where the group of friends had been staying, they had discovered 3 bodies. None of them had contained the identity of Sam, one of their friends, who the others claimed was dead. The search team had been formed in hope of finding Sam, as there was a strong possibility she could be alive. As they searched around the mountain, they discovered the sanatorium destroyed due to an explosion, the fire still powerful. Unable to do anything they had to continue searching after they had informed the officers back at the office. The team had stumbled across a mine entrance which they were currently making their way through. Wanting to search in every possible area, the group had ventured inside, ending up deep inside the mine. Surprisingly, their signal had been holding up despite their depth.  
"It's turning into some kind of cave down here!" One person called to the rest of the team, they were slightly ahead, but they stopped to allow the remainder of the team to catch up.  
A loud, piercing screech erupted into the air and the team froze. The caves were cold, water dripping down onto rocks which were all unique shapes, twisted and abnormal.  
"What was that?" One of them questioned, glancing around, moving their torch around to hunt for the peculiar sound.  
"I don't know." Another replied, their voice quiet, they were clearly uneasy.  
A scuttling sound was heard coming from behind them, triggering most of the team to spin round, confused, and afraid. One member of the team however began stepping forward towards the original screech, shining their light around, they disappeared round the corner of the cave. Their eyes widened as they saw something horrific.  
"What IS that?" Their words were short and brief… And their last. Their scream rung out into the air, and remained for many seconds, the team rushing towards the sound instantly, hearts racing, heads banging.  
One picked up their radio, clutching it tightly to themselves. "There's something down here." Steps were slow, further scuttling noises were accompanied with a very small crunching. "Scott has gone missing, we heard his scream… I don't what's going on, I-"  
His words were cut short. Dropping the radio, he turned and ran not bothering to check if his fellow co-workers… _friends_ … were following him. What he had seen had sent an arrow of fear, suffocating him, leaving him stunned. As he had followed the rest of the team, he had peered around a corner with them to see a tall creature, grey skin pulled over its bones like the skin of a drum, and its pale white eyes had no soul within them. It was skinny, and had long spindly legs, as it rose, its relatively large size became evident. It's mouth opening to screech, piercing daggers on show.  
He continued running from the monster. _What- What… What is that? What is happening?  
_ All too familiar screams began ringing in his ears, one by one, until no voices were left. He closed his eyes readying himself for the claws. As sharp fingernails dug into his shoulder, he forced himself to spin around and meet the creature face to face. Dead lifeless eyes were the last thing he saw as the creature ripped apart his head from his now limp body.

Emily raised an eyebrow, she began readying herself to stand up, wanting to achieve as many answers as possible. "When are they going to return? Are they going to stay out as long as possible?"  
One officer smiled politely. "They will return at night and a different team will be sent out if Samantha is not found. If-" A regulated beeping sound interrupted him, coming from his pocket. He glanced at the friends before hurrying away to take the call on his radio followed by his fellow officer, curious to know the news.  
"Do you think something is going on?" Jessica managed a small question, her voice still raspy, but she was a little stronger now.  
Chris nodded. "Look at them, they're really concerned."  
Watching the officers, they saw how their faces turned pale, emotion dropping from their face as they almost froze with the radio in hand. The conversation only lasted a couple of minutes, but it felt like an eternity.  
"What if they've found Sam?" Matt suggested hopefully.  
"Oh god, what if she's dead? Oh god." Ashley brought her legs up onto her chair and wrapped herself around them. "Oh god."  
Chris placed an arm round her shoulders. "I'm sure it won't be that, Ash."  
Time ticked by slower as the two officers solemnly made their way back to the table. It was clear their minds were scanning through words to put together into sentences. Eventually, one of them spoke. It was the quieter of the two, the one who had stood the whole time in the back.  
"We've been called away on an urgent matter." He stated simply. "We've lost contact with the search team. The last thing recorded was screaming before it cut out." Neither of them waited for a reply, despite noting how many of the friends had begun opening their mouths to speak. "We need to return urgently, we're sorry." Both of them turned their backs, walking away. "Goodbye."  
Within seconds of them leaving, voices erupted into the air deafening each other as they frantically hunted for answers from one another even though everyone had the same amount of knowledge. Heartbeats were beating unnaturally fast, hands shaking whilst their voices rose higher and higher, everyone competing to be the loudest.  
"Everyone just be quiet!" Emily scolded. "We're not going to get anywhere by talking over each other."  
Mike nodded. "Em is right. One at a time…"  
"What do you think happened to them?" Chris took his chance to hear the other's opinions.  
"It's gotta be the Wendigo." Emily took no time in replying.  
"I thought you said you'd killed them all?" Matt questioned, a frown on his face. "In the fire."  
"I thought we did…" Ashley bit her lip, allowing her legs to drop, but still remaining close to Chris.  
Mike shook his head. "We have no idea how many Wendigos were in those mines. There could still have been some down there." Racking his brain for ideas he thought about the officers. He knew that they wouldn't venture back into the mines for a little longer for safety precautions. "Besides, the officers said they recovered 3 bodies. There were 4 Wendigos in the cabin at least." He added. "That means at least one survived. And, as we all know; one Wendigo is enough."  
Glancing around at each other, someone waited for the other to speak up. Eventually, it was Mike who spoke again.  
"I'm going to go find Sam." He announced with confidence in his voice, looking around at the friends and their reactions.  
"You can't go back there Mike, it's a death trap!" Ashley's eyes widened in a mix of shock and horror.  
"We know about the Wendigos!" Despite knowing Ashley was right, and it was extremely risky, he already had his mind set on finding Sam. "We know some information on how to fight back! I could do this better than the search team. They're not going to send another one out for a while, and by then it could be too late."  
"It might already be too late." Matt didn't want to say it, but he knew someone had to. "Do you really want to risk your life on a chance?"  
Mike nodded. "I do. It was my fault, now this is my chance to put it right and save her."  
"I'll come." Chris spoke up, Ashley began whimpering in fear of losing him.  
"You can't go Chris…" She looked up at him, her lip trembling. "I-" She paused, taking a deep breath. "I'm coming too."  
Chris shook his head. "You're not coming Ash. I want you safe. Mike needs help."  
"And I want YOU safe Chris!" Her words were becoming pleas and cries as she spoke. "Please… We'll be safer in numbers!"  
Chris knew it was impossible to persuade her otherwise, and her speech had only encouraged the others.  
"Ash is right." Matt spoke up. "I'll come. We all owe it to Sam, and the more people, the better."  
Emily was reluctant, desperate not to return, but she knew her friends were right. "Me too."  
"What about Jess?" Matt gestured towards the blonde girl who was staring into her cereal, spinning the spoon around in circles. At hearing her name, she looked up.  
"What about me?" She quizzed.  
"You're really weak Jess, you can't come." Mike picked up from where Matt left off. "You need to stay back here, and get well."  
"Whilst you all go and get yourselves killed?" She snapped back in return, but her voice was still weak, and she knew she couldn't win an argument. Before Mike could even reply, she automatically gave in. "Okay… But, please… Stay safe…" Even addressing Emily, she formed a weak smile. "All of you."  
"So, it's settled?" Mike pushed his chair back and stood up. "We're going back to the mountain?"  
Chris perked up. "We should go in the day time. The flamethrower guy claimed that Wendigos only hunt at night. I don't know how much of that is true, but we have nothing to lose."  
"Okay…"Mike paused, thinking out a possible plan. "If we prepare ourselves, we could be out within hours, if we had a ride there that is..." He racked his brains for ideas.  
"I think I can help with that." A voice arose from a table directly next to the group.


	5. Chapter Four - Hope

Dripping water was the only sound Sam heard as she awoke a little dazed. The caves, which she found herself in, were almost silent, the atmosphere eerie and unsettling. Faint scratching sounds had also been around for a little while, until they faded away as Sam lay on the ground aching, not wanting to pull herself up, despite knowing she had no choice. She had to get herself off the mountain, she had to find her friends. _Had they made it off the mountain? Were they all alive, or were they dead? Maybe there were still on the mountain? They won't even know I'm alive…_ Her thoughts flew through her head in their hundreds, triggering energy in her body to give herself the motivation to pull herself up so she was now in a sitting position. She touched her arm, noting a few bruises and scratches, she winced, realising it hurt, and she groaned. As her eyes scanned over the rest of her body, she realised it wasn't just her arms that were full of cuts and bruises. She began taking in her surroundings whilst rubbing her head forcefully, trying to come around properly. There was no sign of anyone or anything in the area of the caves she was in. She had purposely looked around for any possible nearby Wendigos. They were the last thing she wanted to run into, especially as she wasn't in the best shape to fight back after being dragged down into the caves. Standing up at last, her memories began to reassemble themselves in her brain like a jigsaw being put together. She had been unsure how she'd ended up back in the caves after her and Mike had made their way into the basement of the cabin to find Emily, Ash, and Chris. After that point, all she had remembered was facing Wendigos in the cabin, but it had been mainly a blur. Now she was up on her feet and composing herself, she remembered what had happened which only confused her more.

 _Empty, icy eyes, drilled into Sam's face. The Wendigo she was faced with was horrifying, it's body towering over her, and she knew in that moment, as she twitched, that she was about to die.  
She shut her eyes, ready to bear the agonising pain that would soon fill her body. Not caring any longer, she let out a scream, forcing herself to open her eyes as the Wendigo screamed back into her face. A second screech pierced through the atmosphere, alerting Sam as well as the Wendigo she was faced with. The second Wendigo, which she noticed had a butterfly tattoo, threw itself towards the Wendigo which had been ready to launch at Sam. _Hannah… _Hannah was… Saving her? Finding herself caught up in the Wendigo fight, she tried to back away, but she was struck by one of the Wendigo's long arms. She was slammed against the beam she had been standing near, and fell to the ground unconscious. That was the last thing she remembered._

The only questions that remained in her mind were based around how she had managed to end up in the caves, and why she hadn't been killed by a Wendigo. Had Hannah brought her down here? If so, why would she want to save her? A possibility began to pull at her in the back of Sam's mind. Did Wendigo Hannah still have humanity within her? Sam had almost convinced herself of this, but she didn't want to attempt to test it out. Hannah may have been planning to kill her, but she dismissed the thoughts within the back of her mind, and made the choice to focus on getting out of the caves, and to the surface. Rubbing her hands on the tops of her arms, she gave herself a little warmth before taking a few careful steps forward, her headlight torch still on her head, but the glass was smashed, the light no longer working. She yanked the torch from her head and cast it aside, an annoyed groan escaping her mouth.  
Determined, she kept her legs moving forward away from the area of the cave she was in. She was relieved to recognise the area she had been left in. It was the same area that her and Mike had found Josh in. _Josh._ Mike had told her that the Wendigo had got him which left a lump in her throat which she swallowed down instantly, trying not to think about it. It was horrible what he had done, but her heart ached from the loss. She had felt a true connection with him.  
Her footsteps created a small sound as her feet hit the cavern floor. She pushed herself against the wooden door which creaked as she opened it. Pausing to glance around, her eyes wide, she made sure no Wendigos were around. The next room instantly brought back the sick feeling in her mouth that she felt not so long ago. The flamethrower guy's body still remained hung up, and she tried to pull her gaze away, but it was stuck firm on his dangling, bloody body.  
"Gross…" She murmured to herself, her voice weak as she gagged a little.  
Her body was weak, causing her to slouch a little as she walked, but despite this, she tried to keep her head up high and alert. She no longer had any light with her so the mine was almost midnight black. The only light was the few beams of sunlight that had pushed its way into the cave. _Sunlight._ It was day time, which slightly reassured her. Trekking through the room, she reached the other side, and knowing exactly where to go, she found herself back at the water. Last time she had been there, she'd been with Mike. They had been vulnerable and afraid, but now she was even more exposed, and terrified. She was alone. Mike had offered some comfort by being there.  
Finding the bit of confidence she still had within her, she perched herself on the edge of the ledge which lay slightly above the water. Her feet were almost touching the water, skimming across the surface, only millimetres away. Her mind was still blurry, it made her reluctant to enter the water however she knew she had no choice.  
Before her subconscious could attempt to talk herself out of it, Sam pushed herself from the ledge and into the water. She couldn't help but squeal slightly as the piercing coldness of the water shot into her body instantly with no warning. It clutched onto her legs and began biting and clawing at her. Desperate to get out of the water as soon as she could, Sam began taking large steps, still ensuring her arms were high above the water, not wanting to dip her fingers in. Water pushed against her like a barrier, trying to prevent her from continuing. Her vision was foggy, yet it didn't deter her as she hurried to the opposite side of the water inside the cavern.  
Relieved, Sam threw her arms onto the new ledge, struggling to pull herself up, she barely managed the task, and dropped to the floor exhausted. She lay on her back for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling. For a little while, she could almost imagine that she wasn't at risk… That she could just relax and take it easy. Water still remained to be the only sound she could hear, it echoed around the cavern almost creating a tune. Closing her eyes for a few mere seconds, she allowed herself to listen to the atmosphere. A sudden scream forcing her eyes open, and her upper body upright so she was sat on the ground. Turning her head frantically from side to side, and seeing nothing, she began to think she had imagined it, until she heard it again. This scream wasn't a screech, it didn't sound like a Wendigo, but it could be mimicking for all she knew. It sounded like- It sounded again. _Josh._  
Without a second thought, she scrambled up onto her feet, losing her balance a little and stumbling before regaining it and standing still, alert. It can't have been Josh. Mike had told her the Wendigo had got him. As she began to turn over Mike's words in her head, she realised how Mike hadn't used the words 'dead' or 'died', but rather simply just 'got him'. Hope rushed through her body as she began to believe Josh was alive. The scream came again, but it was becoming quieter. He sounded distressed, like when her and Mike had found him whilst he was suffering from a meltdown rather than being faced with a Wendigo. She could almost hear words from the scream too, but they were indistinguishable. She was ready to change direction to hunt for Josh before her heart sunk as it dawned on her that she'd have to rush through the water again, but a different direction. Was she really willing to risk her life on a possibility? When she heard Josh once again, she made her decision.  
Almost leaping into the water, she wasted no time in making her way towards the noises. She changed her path halfway through the water, so instead of heading towards where she had originally came from, she instead walked towards Josh, or what she assumed, and hoped was Josh.  
Sam reached the edge of the water where a ledge was conveniently placed, unfortunately a little too high up to simply jump onto. Sam shuffled to the side and clambered up using both her leg and arm strength to hoist herself up.  
A door stood in the way of her and the noise, it was the final obstacle, her final choice. Words had suddenly become understandable from the other side of the door. She could hear; 'Leave me alone!' 'I won't come with you…' 'I can't' She paused, anxious. Every now and then, the words and screaming would stop, and she would only hear faint sobbing, and a few quiet whispers. Sam knew she was in a dangerous situation, and it was strange for her to think this, but she enjoyed Josh's whispers. They were the normal Josh, the Josh she knew… _Thought she knew._  
Shaking off any thoughts that were injecting misguidance into her head, she tugged at the door handle which opened surprisingly easily. Not knowing what could be on the other side, she braced herself for everything, but nothing came. Instead, she opened her eyes to see Josh, sat in the middle of the new room she had found. Similar to the one she'd found him in before. The Wendigos must have a collection of the small rooms, sort of like cells to keep their victims in. Josh had his head in his hands and was muttering to himself. Sam's footsteps alerted him slightly, he glanced up. For a second, their eyes met, and Josh was Josh. He was loving and funny, and he was back to himself again as if Sam had sparked sanity within him. Sam felt the connection she had done before, she felt safe, and overjoyed, but then it faded away. Josh's eyes became lost and distant, he bowed his head a little, as if he knew himself.  
"S-Sam?"


	6. Chapter Five - Return

Jessica's hair continued to fall onto her face as she shivered from the temperature. Instinctively, Mike wrapped one of his arms around her, as together they stood with the remainder of the group as a helicopter landed across the way from them.  
As they had been sat at breakfast only a couple of hours earlier, a man had introduced himself to the group after clearly eavesdropping on their conversation. He had offered them a helicopter ride on, and eventually off, the mountain, which the friends didn't particularly trust, but had reluctantly agreed to in the belief of it being their only, and quickest option. Together they agreed to finish off their breakfast before collecting anything they may need, and meeting outside of the hotel in an hour. There, the mystery man had agreed to send a friend to drive them to where he'd land the helicopter for them to ride in.  
Extremely worried for the safety of her friends, Jessica had mulled over the possibility of her going to mountain. Deciding on remaining at the hotel, she still desired to see them off so had asked to come along in the car ride.

" _Just promise me you'll be safe!" Jessica pleaded as she sat cross legged on the edge of the bed, watching Mike change his clothes to a warmer set instead of his thin fabric t-shirt.  
"I will, I promise!" He reassured her, glancing towards where she sat looking anxious. "I'll be back before you know it." He heard a small whimper from Jess, triggering him to drop what he was doing and place himself beside her. "I'll be fine, Jess, and so will you. I'll hurry back."  
Letting out a few tears, Jessica leant against Mike for comfort. "Please do…" She slumped her frail and weak body, brushing away her tears with one hand, the other finding Mike's hand.  
"Stay strong Jess." Mike gently kissed the top of her head, whispering into her hair._

Watching as the helicopter pilot waved them over from the pilot's seat, Jessica knew it was her cue to say goodbye. Most of the friends took a few moments to wave goodbye to Jess or announce a quick 'bye' before heading off the helicopter, wanting to be on their way. Mike simply stood with Jessica, closing his eyes, reluctant to leave. Much to his surprise, it was Jessica herself that pushed him away.  
"Mike…" She smiled softly. "You were right, I'm going to be fine." She almost didn't believe her own words, but she forced herself to push through, for Mike's sake. "You're very brave for doing this, you know…"  
Mike smiled in return. "I'm just helping a friend." Wrapping his arms around her for one last hug, he ran his fingers through her hair. "I'll see you soon." He felt her nod, and chuckled to himself. Pulling away, he lightly placed a kiss on her lips. It was only short, he didn't want to make it feel like a goodbye kiss. He was going to return to her.  
"Goodbye, Mike." She kissed him on the cheek. "I love you…"  
Mike was a little startled at this sudden remark, but he was happy to hear the words. "I love you too…"  
Turning away from Jess, he began to head towards the helicopter.

Ashley stared out the window, watching Mike walk towards them. She'd been nervous for a little while, but had forced the feelings away, knowing that there was little point in having them. She'd chosen this path. She felt a hand intertwine with her own, and she glanced to her right to see Chris looking down, tapping his feet a little. Squeezing Chris' hand gently, she was surprised to find herself being the one comforting another instead of someone usually having to comfort her. Glad of the change, she smiled to herself, taking in deep breaths.

" _How are you feeling?" Chris asked as he pulled on a pair of walking boots. He'd looked over to where Ashley had been staring at her own reflection in the mirror of the hotel room. She had been extremely focused, and was twirling the locket round her neck as if in a trance. Hearing Chris' voice, she jumped slightly, but turned to face him.  
"It's funny…" She laughed. "I thought I'd be terrified, but I'm not. I thought it'd be just like before. I'd scream and cry, and I'll make my nightmares ten times worse." She shrugged. "But I don't think they can get any worse." She took her place on the bed next to Chris, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'll be terrified whilst we're there, I'm sure…" She paused. "How are you?"  
Chris shook his head, dismissing her question. "I'm trying not to think about it. If I stop for even one second to see how I'm coping, I'll just freak out."_

Ashley hoped Chris would be calmer once they reached the mountain. He had of course been the one to keep Ashley calm whilst they were originally hunting for Sam, before they knew anything about the Wendigos. But, after the incident with the flamethrower guy, Chris had become a lot more nervous. Ashley didn't want to rely on him, but she'd prefer it if they could rely on one another, and keep each other relaxed and stable.

Emily and Matt had been coping in a similar manner. Their thoughts on each other were still not so perfect, but for now, they had decided to push everything aside, and keep each other company. It helped a little to have someone there. Whilst Matt had been preparing himself for the return to the mountain, he had been sure he'd heard sobbing through the wall. A little worried, he'd checked up on Emily to find her in a flustered mess. Instead of pushing him away, Emily had thrown her arms around Matt, and sat crying in his arms, letting down all of her walls which she used to keep up so well.

Their time on the helicopter was only brief, but to the friends it had felt like an eternity. The helicopter landed with a bit of a jolt, the friends had all sat in silence, the only sound being the spinning blades, until they'd groaned or squealed after the landing.  
"Sorry!" The pilot chuckled. "Bumpy ground."  
Helping each of the passengers off the helicopter, the pilot folded his arms. "I'd wish you all good luck, but luck doesn't really matter on this mountain." He simply nodded at the friends as he spoke.  
Mike turned to face the mountains, turning his back on the pilot. "Here we are again."

"Josh, you can't stay here!" Sam pleaded, tugging at his arm a little. Josh batted her away, falling to the ground, frustrated. Sam had hurried over to Josh, desperate to get the both of them out of there.  
"I-I want to stay…" He muttered.  
"Why?" Sam slumped to the ground next to him. "The Wendigo will come back-" She paused. "She'll _kill_ you!"  
"N-no…" Josh shook his head, looking towards Sam. "Hannah won't kill me. She left me here. I want to be with my sister."  
Sam sighed. She had no time or energy to sit arguing with Josh. Every second of her time was precious whist she had no food or fresh water.  
"Look, Josh…" She bowed her head. "I'm going to get of here. I don't want to die. I'd like it if I had some company, I don't feel so safe down here."  
For a brief moment, Josh tilted his head, another glimpse of his sanity returning to him was evident. It was also clear, that Sam had hit at something. Josh cared about Sam, that was obvious, and he wanted her to be safe. Pondering over a few possibilities in his head, he began to stagger onto his feet.  
"O-okay…" He rubbed his head. "I'll stay b-by your s-side for a little w-while…"  
Sam jumped onto her feet, grinning to herself. "Thank you."


End file.
